Charlotte Hornets: 5 bold predictions for the 2021-22 season

Oct 11, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) and head coach James Borrego talk during a time out in the first half against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 11, 2021; Miami, Florida, USA; Charlotte Hornets guard LaMelo Ball (2) and head coach James Borrego talk during a time out in the first half against the Miami Heat at FTX Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-USA TODAY Sports /
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We’ve made it. The NBA season has returned and the regular season is just days away as the Charlotte Hornets will open up its season on Wednesday at home against the Indiana Pacers.

Charlotte Hornets: 5 bold predictions for 2021-22

This was an interesting offseason for the Hornets as not many big moves were made, but they lost key players in Devonte’ Graham and Malik Monk, and replaced them with Kelly Oubre Jr. and rookie James Bouknight.

The center position will now be occupied by Mason Plumlee as the Bismack Biyombo/Cody Zeller era came to an end, and there are still similar questions in Charlotte about the makeup of the roster that existed last season

The Hornets are banking on a lot of improvement from LaMelo Ball, Miles Bridges, PJ Washington, and a healthy Gordon Hayward to try and make the playoffs for the first time since 2016.

Whether that comes to fruition remains to be seen but there are certainly pieces in place to compete in the eastern conference.

Charlotte fans are way too use to the team failing to meet expectations and struggling, so this season will be pivotal in telling how the current rebuild is doing.

One of the certainties is that this team should be fun to watch. With Ball running the point and Bridges still electric when dunking the ball, the Hornets are fast, athletic and young. The biggest question will be whether they can put it all together?

So, instead of ordinary analysis, here are five bold predictions for Charlotte this season.